Private Harry John Boniface was born in 1897 in Gosport, Hampshire the son of Kezia Boniface and grandson of Frederick Boniface who was born and lived in Chithurst. The boy lived with his grandparents in Chithurst for many years. He enlisted into the Hampshire Regiment, was sent to Mesopotamia and died there on 31 March 1917, shortly after his 20th birthday.

Family background

Harry John Boniface was born on 26 March 1897 in Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire, the illegitimate son of Kezia Boniface, a domestic servant then aged about 23. However, by 1901 he was living with his grandparents, Frederick and Mary Boniface at Pincers Cottage, Chithurst together with three of their fourteen children and sundry other grandchildren. His grandfather was a road labourer and several of his sons also worked for the local authority on the roads. By 1911 the grandfather was a road foreman for the R.D.C. and Harry John, then known as John, was a “stone digger (learner) for DC” aged 14.

Kezia Boniface married William Whittington of Petworth in 1901 and in 1911 she was living with her husband and their five children in North Street, Petworth. She died in February 1936 and her death was registered in the Midhurst registration district.

Military service

Harry John Boniface enlisted at Petersfield into the Hampshire Regiment and served in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Territorial Force of that regiment. This was formed in August 1914 at Winchester and it sailed for India in October 1914 there to take the place of the regular units of the Hampshires which were being brought back to fight in France. If Harry John enlisted before the unit left, this means that he must only have been 17 at enlistment.

In March 1915, the unit landed at Basra as part of the 33rd Indian Brigade and it spent the rest of the war in Mesopotamia and Persia as the areas were then known.

Death and commemoration

The circumstances of the death of Private Boniface are not entirely clear but he was buried in the North Gate War Cemetery in Baghdad after his death on 31 March 1917. In the war diary of Corporal A.J. Foster a signaller for the 1st/4th Battalion, he mentions that when loading shells and bombs from the Turkish arsenal there was a serious accidental explosion at about this time which killed 13 men. It is possible that Private Boniface was involved in this incident. At least six men of this battalion were killed on the same day and are buried in this cemetery. The unit had also suffered significant losses from sickness and previous casualties.

The city of Baghdad fell to the Allies in mid-March 1917 but the position was not fully consolidated until the end of April. By this time the city was the advanced base of the Indian Expeditionary Force and had two fixed hospitals and three casualty clearing stations. This cemetery was begun in April 1917 and bodies were moved here for burial from the surrounding area.

Private Harry John Boniface is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Iping Church.

News

Click heading to see an analysis of the ages of the casualties, their family status, the forces in which they served, their ranks and the theatre of war and year in which they died.

Following consultation in Graffham and East Lavington, Penny Holland is researching the World War 1 casualties on the Graffham & East Lavington war memorial. Their stories are being added to this website as they are completed.

Iping & Chithurst and Stedham war memorials have recently been completed. Rogate should be completed shortly.

Commemorative events

Cocking

David Earley displayed the results of his extensive researches in an exhibition in Cocking Village Hall on 2/3 August. Photo by Jeffery Mableson

Lodsworth

A display in St Peter's church, Lodsworth was organised by Ian Buckingham for a commemorative event, with readings by Charles Dance, Geraldine James and Honeysuckle Weeks, and with Robert Vanryne on trumpet. The Book of Remembrance will remain permanently in the church.

Midhurst

Penny Holland, Sarah White, Pat and Roy Bryant compiled a Book of Remembrance for Midhurst Museum to include in its WW1 exhibition which was open throughout August.

Petworth

An exhibition in St Mary's Church, Petworth commemorated the casualties of World War 1. Medals, photos and other memorabilia were on display, along with stories of the 75 men of Petworth killed in the War. The research for these stories was by Kate and Nigel Flynn.

Rogate

Malcolm Hutchings has arranged for the village to commemorate those named on its war memorial by including their stories in the parish magazine on the 100th anniversary of each death.

Midhurst U3A WW1 War Memorial Project

The project

This is the website of a team from Midhurst U3A which is researching the family backgrounds, military service and deaths of the people who appear on local war memorials. We started with the parishes of Bepton, Cocking, Lodsworth, Midhurst, Petworth, Rogate and West Lavington, and have since added Elsted & Treyford, Graffham & East Lavington, Heyshott, Iping & Chithurst, Selham, Stedham and Trotton. The first phase of the project was completed in time for the centenary of the start of WW1, but our work continues!

Midhurst U3A

Midhurst U3A is one of over 900 U3As across the UK, each affiliated to the Third Age Trust. Our U3A exists for the benefit of those, no longer in full time employment, who wish to learn and keep active. Members share their knowledge and experience, and participate in a wide range of educational, creative and leisure activities.

Your historical records

Do you have historical material that might be of interest to our project? If so, please contact us so that we can discuss whether to add it to our archives and/or this website.

Copyright & Privacy

There is a possibility that some of the photographs or other material in this community website are subject to copyright or are considered private. If this is so, please let us know and we will amend or remove the material.